Jim you have a good point (like the one on my head
) and that is that talismans and talismanic marks are architypal (to use a Jungian term) and therefore many cultures across the planet use or have used them in some form or fashion. Often they are used to ward off not just misfortune or empower the ower, but for some (Indonesia/Malaysia/Philippines) the image, even symbolic, is enough to scare off (hopefully) evil spirits, etc. Another good example is in Bali the use of demon hilt figures to scare off other demons.